Florida man stranded on sailboat with two dogs after losing home in flash floods: 'Living nightmare'
Florida man living in sailboat after losing home to floods
A man and his two dog are left stranded on a 30 foot sailboat after losing his home during last week's flash floods. Joseph Gardiner Jr. says it's a "living nightmare."
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - A Brevard County man is living on a 30-foot sailboat on the Indian River with his two dogs after flash floods in Palm Bay destroyed his mobile home and vehicles.
It’s all he has left after the 1 in 1,000 year storm hit Central Florida.
Palm Bay flood damage
What we know:
Joseph Gardiner Jr. lost his home and all of his cars to recent flash flooding in Palm Bay. With nowhere else to go, he moved onto a boat anchored offshore along U.S. 1.
The sailboat has no working generator, leaving Gardiner without power at night or a way to cook meals. During daylight hours, a single solar panel provides just enough electricity to charge his phone.
Indian River sailboat stranding
What we don't know:
It remains unclear when he will be able to untangle his anchor from submerged debris or fix the disabled motor to bring the vessel closer to the shoreline.
Stranded dogs on water
The backstory:
Gardiner’s father died just weeks before the flash floods struck the area. The two dogs belonged to his father and served as his closest companions during his final days.
Gardiner calls it a "living nightmare, hard to accept it's reality. Losing your place to live and everything you own."
A larger watercraft transported the dogs to the sailboat immediately after the flooding. Because Gardiner’s only transportation to shore is an unstable canoe, the frightened dogs cannot safely travel across the water.
Canine rescue relief efforts
What they're saying:
Gardiner refuses to surrender the dogs to a shelter because of their deep emotional tie to his father. "He lived his last moments with them dogs and so that is why I don’t want to give them up," Gardiner said.
Cortney Larson, founder of the dog rescue Isla's Journey, sent supplies out to assist him. "Worry about yourselves and let us help you worry about the animals," Larson said, adding, "It's heart wrenching it really is. It's really sad."
Broken boat anchor repairs
What's next:
Gardiner is working to free the boat’s anchor, which remains snagged in underwater debris. His sailboat engine does not work, preventing him from moving closer to land where the dogs can run.
He is also fundraising to rebuild his life. You can find more information on that here.
Isla's Journey continues to collect pet food donations to assist other displaced families who are struggling to care for animals after the flood.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from FOX 35 reporter Esther Bower, who reported live from the Indian River off U.S. 1 in Palm Bay, as well as interviews with flood victim Joseph Gardiner Jr. and Isla's Journey founder Cortney Larson.